Project Goals

Afera launched its Flagship Sustainability Project (AFSP) in 2021 with the goal to translate the European Green Deal (EGD) for the adhesive tape industry. Project participants represent the entire adhesive tapes value circle including raw material suppliers, tape manufacturers and converters. Over the years, AFSP has proved vital to the European tape industry and has not only enabled the tape sector to align with the EGD but also provided guidance to meet future regulatory, sustainability and circular-economy requirements. The following over-arching goals were identified for the project:

1. Making harmonised calculation methods available for assessing the environmental impact of adhesive tapes, 
2. Establishing best available techniques for the management of waste from adhesive tapes, and 
3. Providing information to members on the impact of the EGD to the tape industry through links between Afera, the European Commission and other relevant stakeholders.

AFSP Workstreams and Stakeholders

To deliver on the project goals, three workstreams were defined at inception:

• Workstream 1: Calculation Methods

Focused on developing methodologies for measuring the environmental impact of adhesive tapes, including life cycle assessment (LCA), product carbon footprint (PCF), environmental product declarations (EPD) and related standards.

• Workstream 2: Waste Management

Concentrated on strategies to reduce waste across the adhesive tape value chain, including recycling initiatives, material efficiency, and end-of-life solutions aligned with circular economy principles.

• Workstream 3: Advocacy

Worked in close collaboration with Afera’s Regulatory Affairs Working Group (RAWG) to monitor, interpret, and respond to evolving EU regulations, ensuring members are prepared for compliance and aligned with policy developments. 

New Structure – Effective 2026

From 2026 onwards, Afera merged the activities of Advocacy into the RAWG. This integration consolidates expertise, streamlines efforts, and ensures that sustainability and regulatory priorities are addressed holistically. Entering its 5^th year, AFSP now comprises of 2 workstreams and will continue to support the industry’s transition toward circularity and compliance with European sustainability goals.

Read more about project highlights from 2025 and our goals for 2026: AFSP Highlights and Goals

AFSP Workspace (Members Only)

There are two ways to access the documents on the Workspace:

• SharePoint site (you may encounter difficulties based on your company IT policies)
• AFSP Workspace (be sure to log in with AFSP member credentials)

Join AFSP 

Not an AFSP member yet? The AFSP Workstream meetings are open to participants from all Afera member companies.